FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com OCTOBER 6, 2016 • buzz • The Queens Courier 43 Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria will pay tribute to Gene Wilder with screenings By Angela Matua [email protected] / @AngelaMatua The death of beloved actor Gene Wilder in August inspired many tributes – from the fake tumble on Saturday Night Live to Mel Brooks’ plan to stream “Young Frankenstein” across 500 theaters in October. Now, Queens will contribute with screenings buzz at the Museum of Moving Image. Starting on Oct. 9, the Astoria museum will screen “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” until Nov. 27. The screenings will take place at the museum’s Redstone Theater on Oct.9, Oct. 10 and Nov. 25 through Nov. 27. “He was a unique comic talent,” said Chief Curator David Schwartz. “The response to his death showed that many people felt a strong connection to him, and his work. We chose his three most timeless films for the tribute, ending with the most beloved family film since The Wizard of Oz.” “Blazing Saddles,” which was released in 1974, is a Western spoof that follows State Attorney General Hedley Lamarr’s plan to kick out the residents of Rock Ridge and build a railroad. Bart, a black railroad worker, is appointed as new sheriff to protect residents from Lamarr’s henchman and he, along with Wilder’s character, Jim (a.k.a. The Waco Kid), work together to try to thwart Lamarr’s plan. In “Young Frankenstein,” which was cowritten by Wilder and released in 1974, Wilder plays Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronk-un-steen), the descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. He inherits his grandfather’s property in Transylvania and discovers his private journals, which inspire him to re-create experiments to hilarious results. Perhaps Wilder’s most beloved movie, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” written by Roald Dahl and released in 1971, will be Photo Credit: Warner Bros. the only movie screened in November. Wilder plays the title character, leading a group of children on tour of his factory, which turns out to be “a world of pure imagination.” For screening times and more information, visit the museum’s website. Casting A Local Hero Artist honors Astoria-born Christopher Walken with concrete busts at Socrates Sculpture Park Christopher Walken is arguably one of the most famous actors to hail from Astoria and a Queens-based artist decided to honor the actor with a series of concrete cast busts. Bryan Zanisnik, an artist based in Ridgewood, is showcasing his work as a part of Socrates Sculpture Park‘s Emerging Artist Fellowship (EAF) exhibition. In addition to the 10 busts, “Monument to Walken” features a comic by Eric Winkler that outlines Walken’s history in the neighborhood. Every year, Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City provides 15 artists with an open studio, monetary support and guidance to complete their work. Hundreds of artists submitted applications and from June through Sept. the chosen artists worked on-site to create their pieces. Zanisnik, who creates large-scale installations and videos, is also an artist-in-residence at the Queens Museum. “This year we asked artists to think about the site and history of Socrates Sculpture Park because it’s our 30th anniversary,” said Jess Wilcox, spokesperson for Socrates Sculpture Park. “Bryan took a quite interesting approach to doing that, thinking about Astoria as a neighborhood that had its own unique culture who produced this actor that we all know and love.” The 15 pieces will be on display until March 13 and since the pieces are installed outdoors, visitors will be able to see them through the seasons. Walken, known for his very distinct speaking style and his versatility as an actor, often playing unstable characters, was born in Astoria in 1943. His father, Paul, owned Walken’s Bakery at 29-17 Broadway. The building is now home to Broadway Hardware. Walken has been featured in more than 100 movies including, “Seven Psychopaths,” “Catch Me If You Can” and “Annie Hall.” He won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in “The Deer Hunter.” Socrates Sculpture Park is located at 32-01 Vernon Blvd. and is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to sunset. For a list of and description of the other EAF PHOTO CREDIT: Steven Speliotis pieces, visit Socrates Sculpture Park’s website.
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